John Key. Photo by Getty
Twenty-seven New Zealand troops will stay on in
Afghanistan for about a year following the withdrawal of the NZ
Provincial Reconstruction Team in April this year, Prime
Minister John Key has announced.
Mr Key said the ongoing commitment to the Nato ISAF operation
in Afghanistan would mostly comprise of "behind the wire"
roles at ISAF headquarters in Kabul.
However, the ongoing commitment included three NZ SAS
personnel in "planning and logistics" roles.
The Nato ISAF presence is expected to remain in Afghanistan
until December next year but Mr Key said that timetable and
the term of New Zealand's on-going commitment could change
depending on events.
Mr Key described the ongoing commitment as "a legacy
contingent" which would "back up a decade of work" in Bamiyan
province by the PRT and also to "honour" the 10 NZDF
personnel who'd been killed during its decade-long deployment
in Afghanistan.
- By Adam Bennett of the New Zealand Herald
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